- AAA forecasts a five percent increase in travel in the Carolinas for Memorial Day weekend
- 369,000 South Carolina drivers plan to hit the road for the holiday
- Gas prices are about $1.50 lower than they were for Memorial Day weekend in 2008
AAA Carolinas is forecasting a five percent increase in travel for Memorial Day weekend compared to one year ago.
The agency estimates 369,000 South Carolina drivers will hit the road for the three-day weekend beginning Friday. They predict 754,000 North Carolina travelers will be on the roads.
Another 92,000 people - from both states - are expected to fly to celebrate Memorial Day.
Travelers are taking advantage of gas prices that have risen by 25 cents in the past month, but are about $1.50 lower than this time in 2008. About 80 percent of travelers say fuel prices are the top reason behind their choice to drive to their destination.
"The desire to get away for the first major holiday of the summer season is overcoming the economic downturn and recent gas price spikes and bodes well for the ongoing recovery of the hospitality industry," said Dave Parsons, president and CEO of AAA Carolinas in a written statement.
The current average price for regular unleaded gasoline is the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson area is $2.15 Tuesday morning. The price a year ago was $3.60 for regular unleaded.
AAA Carolinas reports New York and Orlando are where the largest numbers of air travelers are headed for Memorial Day.
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